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| Months After Deadly Fire, Owners of Bangladesh Factory Surrender to Court | Months After Deadly Fire, Owners of Bangladesh Factory Surrender to Court |
| (7 months later) | |
| DHAKA, Bangladesh — A husband and wife whose factory in Bangladesh was consumed by fire in 2012, a disaster that killed 112 employees, surrendered to a court on Sunday in Dhaka, the capital. | |
| In December, more than a year after the fire, the police filed charges of culpable homicide against the owners of the Tazreen factory — Delowar Hossain, and his wife, Mahmuda Akther, along with 11 associates, including the factory’s manager and an engineer. | In December, more than a year after the fire, the police filed charges of culpable homicide against the owners of the Tazreen factory — Delowar Hossain, and his wife, Mahmuda Akther, along with 11 associates, including the factory’s manager and an engineer. |
| On the night of the fire, more than 1,150 people were in the eight-story building, working on a tight deadline to fill orders for international buyers. When the fire broke out and an alarm sounded, some managers told their employees to ignore the alarm and continue to work. | On the night of the fire, more than 1,150 people were in the eight-story building, working on a tight deadline to fill orders for international buyers. When the fire broke out and an alarm sounded, some managers told their employees to ignore the alarm and continue to work. |
| As the fire spread, many workers found themselves trapped in smoke-filled staircases or behind windows that were covered with iron grilles. | As the fire spread, many workers found themselves trapped in smoke-filled staircases or behind windows that were covered with iron grilles. |
| Mr. Hossain’s lawyer, A. T. M. Golam Gous, whose motion for bail was rejected on Sunday, argued that Mr. Hossain and Ms. Akther were not present at the time of the fire and had “neither direct involvement nor indirect involvement” in it. Mr. Gous said he would appeal the denial of bail. | Mr. Hossain’s lawyer, A. T. M. Golam Gous, whose motion for bail was rejected on Sunday, argued that Mr. Hossain and Ms. Akther were not present at the time of the fire and had “neither direct involvement nor indirect involvement” in it. Mr. Gous said he would appeal the denial of bail. |
| A state prosecutor, Anwarul Kabir, meanwhile, argued that the owners had failed to make the necessary arrangements to ensure the safety and security of the workers. | A state prosecutor, Anwarul Kabir, meanwhile, argued that the owners had failed to make the necessary arrangements to ensure the safety and security of the workers. |
| Because the owners are “the beneficiary of the factory,” Mr. Kabir said, they must keep their workers safe. “The responsibility for what occurred lies on them,” he said. | Because the owners are “the beneficiary of the factory,” Mr. Kabir said, they must keep their workers safe. “The responsibility for what occurred lies on them,” he said. |
| Bangladesh’s garment industry is extraordinarily powerful, both economically and politically, and in the past the state has sought to protect their interests. Factory owners are rarely held responsible for safety violations. After the Tazreen fire, the police initially said they did not have enough evidence to bring a case against Mr. Hossain, and investigators suggested that the fire might have been set by saboteurs. | Bangladesh’s garment industry is extraordinarily powerful, both economically and politically, and in the past the state has sought to protect their interests. Factory owners are rarely held responsible for safety violations. After the Tazreen fire, the police initially said they did not have enough evidence to bring a case against Mr. Hossain, and investigators suggested that the fire might have been set by saboteurs. |
| But after activists and lawyers submitted a petition, the country’s High Court ordered officials to investigate further. The high-level government investigation that followed accused Mr. Hossain of “unpardonable negligence,” noting that some of his managers closed collapsible gates to block workers from running down staircases. The investigation also found that the factory lacked a mandatory closed-circuit television monitoring system, that none of the building’s fire extinguishers appeared to have been used and that the factory did not have a valid fire safety certificate. | But after activists and lawyers submitted a petition, the country’s High Court ordered officials to investigate further. The high-level government investigation that followed accused Mr. Hossain of “unpardonable negligence,” noting that some of his managers closed collapsible gates to block workers from running down staircases. The investigation also found that the factory lacked a mandatory closed-circuit television monitoring system, that none of the building’s fire extinguishers appeared to have been used and that the factory did not have a valid fire safety certificate. |
| In December, Mr. Hossain said he intended to plead not guilty. | In December, Mr. Hossain said he intended to plead not guilty. |
| This year will serve as a test of the Bangladeshi authorities’ willingness to hold factory owners accountable. The fire at the Tazreen factory was followed several months later by the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory building, which killed more than 1,130 people, making it the deadliest disaster in the history of the garment industry. | This year will serve as a test of the Bangladeshi authorities’ willingness to hold factory owners accountable. The fire at the Tazreen factory was followed several months later by the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory building, which killed more than 1,130 people, making it the deadliest disaster in the history of the garment industry. |
| After the Rana Plaza disaster, High Court judges ordered the police to arrest the building’s owner, Sohel Rana, along with the owners of factories inside the building. Mr. Rana remains in jail pending his trial, which is expected to begin this year. | After the Rana Plaza disaster, High Court judges ordered the police to arrest the building’s owner, Sohel Rana, along with the owners of factories inside the building. Mr. Rana remains in jail pending his trial, which is expected to begin this year. |